DMCFinder’s 8 Tips for Eco-friendly Travels

Climate change concerns have once again resurfaced on various online and offline platforms. While we acknowledge the fact that this issue has been long-existing yet ignored by most, global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Some noticeable effects include continuous rising of temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, droughts and heat waves, rising sea levels, among others. Apparently, our lifestyles are great contributors to climate change and recalibrating our ways does not happen overnight.

The events and travel industry is no exception. In fact, the tourism sector is highly vulnerable to climate change and at the same time contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases that cause global warming. There has been a significant increase in guests and travelers seeking more sustainable, eco-friendly trips and events. As the call for sustainable tourism gets louder, DMCs, event organisers, tour operators are expected to be aware of eco-friendly travel and events, understand what it is, and know how best to suggest it to their clients.

Here are 8 tips for eco-friendly travels:

1. Say no to plastic bags.
– Plastics are a useful resource, however poor waste management has created a global waste challenge. Plastic bags can take a thousand years to decompose. Reusable shopping bags are great alternatives when shopping to local markets–whatever destination.

2. Avoid bottled water.
– Bottled water creates a recycling problem for most communities and a significant carbon footprint. About 17-24 million barrels of oil each year are used to produce the plastics in bottled water products–a huge release of greenhouse gases emissions. Tumblers are great alternatives.

3. Pack lightly for air travel.
– Flying takes a lot of energy, which means releasing a lot of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The heavier the plane, the higher the fuel consumption and the bigger the carbon footprint. Pack only what you need and choose greener airlines–those taking initiative to improve fuel efficiency, recycling programs, and adopt the use of biofuels.

4. Opt for land travel
– As much as possible, travel overland. One can reduce CO2 emissions by a significant percentage through taking a train, coach, or even a full passenger car. Such modes of transfer also offer a more comfortable experience.

5. Stay in Environmentally-Friendly Hotels and Be at Home
– It is worth taking a little while to search for hotels, resorts, and other venues that provide a more eco-friendly stay. A sample assessment is the United States’ LEED program that awards a certification level based on a hotel’s performance across six environmental categories, such as energy and water use, waste management, air quality, and efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. It also helps to act in a hotel like you would at home–avoid getting clean towels when not necessary, don’t have long showers and remember to turn off appliances before leaving the room.

6. Travel in small groups
– The environmental impact is minimal in smaller groups, so check out environmentally-responsible tour operators offering adventures for small groups. Never hesitate to ask your tour operator about their initiative to contribute to sustainable tourism.

7. Eat Local Cuisine
– Every destination offers unique delicacies. Eating local cuisines does not just let you take advantage of the opportunity to try all of the local dishes that you can’t get at home, it also allows you to reduce the carbon footprint of your meal. Consuming foods from local growers and producers is an effective way to reduce the shipping and transport emissions of your meals.

8. Offset your carbon footprint
– Regardless of how sustainable your habits are, not all carbon emissions can be avoided while traveling. Purchasing carbon offsets allows you to compensate for the emissions that you can’t reduce. Select packages that account for emissions from transport, accommodation, activities and waste, and reduce emissions wherever possible.

Traveling is an opportunity to see and explore new parts of the world, but it should also serve as a reminder that our planet is beautiful, unique, and fragile. Taking an initiative to travel sustainably is not just a trend; it is an obligation that everyone has a role to play. As much as we enjoy every destination visited and discovered, our role in the industry is to ensure that future generations get to enjoy their travels just as much as we do today.

Check out our website–partners promoting sustainable travels are on our platform!

Next week, DMCFinder will feature tips for sustainable events.

Author: Deb Davad